Undergarment



D. BLAIR UNDERGARMENT April 22, 1941.

2 Sheets-'Sheet l Filed Deo.

D. BLAIR UNDERGARMENT April 22, 1941.

Filed Dec. ll, 19 59 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 22, 1941 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE UNDERGARMENT David Blair, Chicago, Ill.

Application December 11, 1939, Serial No.' 308,613

3 Claims.

This invention relates to undergarments and more particularly toabdominal supporters embodied in undergarments such as corsets,corselets, g'irdles, foundation garments and the like.

I t is an object of this invention to provide a combined undergarmentvand abdominal supporter which will elevate and flatten the abdomen andwill mold the figure to provide a desirable foundation for outergarments.

Another object of this invention is the provision of an article of thecharacter described which, when applied, on the body of the wearer,functions to progressively elevate the abdomen, during the process ofbeing secured on said body, and which retains the abdomen in flattenedelevated position when completely secured and worn on the body.

A further object of this invention is theY provision of an article ofthe character described which is more easily applied on the body of thewearer than similar garments of like character.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentduring the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, andin which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughoutthe same,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the undergarment embodying my invention,as it appears on the wearer, showing, in dotted lines, the abdominalsupporting construction.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the undergarment, with partsbroken away, to show the details of construction underneath.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevational view showing theundergarment in open position.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2. l

Fig. 5 is a rear eleva-tional View, with parts broken away, to show thedetails of construction of the abdominal supporting structure.

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional View taken on line 6--6 of Fig. 2.

The undergarment, shown in the drawings, in which my invention isembodied, is, broadly speaking, of the conventional type and is shownmerely for illustrative purposes but, it is in the construction andarrangement of certain parts that a departure is made from theconventional construction to achieve results not attainable by likearticles now in general use. I

' Referring to the drawings, wherein is shown a preferred embodiment ofmy invention, the numeral I0 denotes generally, an undergarment of thecorselet type comprising a body portion formed of front and rearsections I2 and I3 respectively, and a brassire portion I4. The rearsection i3 and the brassire portion I4 are substantially of conventionalconstruction and will therefore not be described in detail.

The front section I2 is formed of a central panel I5 and panels I6 andI1 secured thereto, along lines of jointure I3 and I9 respectively.Elastic gores and 22, stretchable in a lateral direction, render thelower portion of the undergarment yieldable and prevent discomfort tothe wearer. The panel I5 is provided with a central longitudinal openingextending substantially the full length thereof, the free edges 23 and24 of said opening being provided with slide fastening elements 25 forsecuring same together. The said slide fastening elements extend onlyalong the portion of the undergarment enclosing the abdominal region,terminating proximate to the brassire portion I4. Hook and eye fasteningelements 2'I, secured to the upper portions` of the free edges 23 and24, serve to close the opening in the brassire portion I4. The abdominalportion of the panel I3 is provided with longitudinally arranged pockets28 which accommodate flexible stiifening elements.

The abdominal supporter, indicated generally, by the numeral 29,comprises two sections 30 and 32. Since the said sections aresubstantially identical in construction, only one will be described indetail, duplicate numerals being applied 4to like parts. Each of saidsections is formed of a central elastic panel 33 secured to` vpanels 34and 35 along lines of jointure 3l and 3 8 respectively, said elasticpanel being stretchable `in a lateral direction. The sections 30 and` 32secured to the body portion, along lines of jointure and 4Irespectively, and to the slide fastening elements `25 are arranged on abias, being directed upwardly towards the longitudinal center of thegarment, each of said sections being of lesser width than that of theportion of the front section I2 which extends between the free edge 23and the line of jointure 4U. A fullness of the said portion is therebyprovided when the elastic panel 33 is not under tension, as shown inFig. 4, this fullness drawing out toward a taut condition of the fabric,as the elastic panel 33 stretches under tension.

Strips of elastic 42 and 43 arranged, one over the other, in the form ofan X, are stitched to the sections 30 and 32, along lines of jointure31, and to the slide fastening elements 25. The

strips 43 are contiguous to the sections 30 and 32 respectively, andhave their lower edges substantially in alinement with the lower edgesof said sections. The strips 42 and 43 are of lesser lengths than thecombined widths of the panels 33 and 35. A fullness of the panels 33 and35, in sections 30 and 32, is thereby provided when the said strips arenot under tension, as shown in Fig. 6, this fullness drawing out towarda taut condition as the strips stretch under tension.

It will be noted that the strips 42 are arranged on a bias, beingdirected downwardly towardthe longitudinal center of the garment andthat the line of stretch of all of the elastic portions, abovedescribed, is on a bias relative to the transverse lines of theundergarment, the degree of bias of the strips 43, relative to atransverse line, being greater than that of the strips 42.

When the undergarment is placed on the body, the hook fastening elements45, which are secured to the free edges 23 and 24, are brought intoengagement to facilitate the movement of the slide fastener 46. As theslide fastener 46 is moved upwardly, the strips 42 are brought under'tension and are caused to stretch and pull substantiallycircumferentially, but in an upwardly direction. This pull performs alifting action on the lower abdominal region effecting an elevation ofsame. Upon further movement of the slide fastener 46, the strips 43 arebrought under tensio-n, and because they have a lesser degree of biasthan the strips 42, they tend to pull more nearly circumferentially, butslightly downwardly. Since this action opposes, in a slight degree, theelevation of the lower abdominal region, the effect is to hold in anyprotuberance and produce a flattening of the abdomen. This function isassisted by the sections 29 and 3|] which are brought under tension whenthe strips have been stretched to a length equal to or greater than thecombined Widths of the panels 33 and 35.

It will be apparent, that the abdominal organs are Athereby caused to beelevated towards'theV diaphragm. Thus, when the central opening iscompletely closed by the slide fastener 46, the upper portions of thesections 29 and 3D are brought under tension and additionally produce aflattening effect on the diaphragm region.

It can be seen that the greatest resiliency is concentrated at the lowerportion of the abdominal supporter. Thus, when the undergarment is worn,the greatest tension is applied to the lower portion of the abdomenwhere it is most needed. When the upper portions of the elastic panels33 yield under tension and the portion of the front section I2, which iscontiguous thereto, is drawn out toward a taut condition, the elasticmembers of the supporter constructionvwill yield with the body movementsand thereby eliminate constriction of the abdominal region. It will beseen that as the slide fastener 43 is moved upwardly to close theopening, a corresponding progressive elevation ofthe abdomen iseffected. Upon full closure of the opening the elevated condition of theabdomen is constantly maintained without `undesirable constriction,during the time that the undergarment is being worn.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention, herewith shown anddescribed, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and thatvarious changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may beresorted to, without departing from the spirit of my invention or thescope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an undergarment of the character described, a yieldable supportfor the abdomen of the wearer, said support comprising two resilientsections attached to the body portion of said undergarment and arrangedon a bias relative to the transverse lines of said undergarment, thewidth of each of said sections, in a circumferential direction, beingless than the distance between their points of attachment on said bodyportion, elastic members crossing one another at an angle and attachedto each of said' sections and to said body portion, two of said memberswhen brought under tension arranged to apply an upwardly directedcircumferential pull to the abdomen While the other two of said memberswhen brought under tension being arranged to apply a downwardly directedcircumferential pull to the abdomen, the opposing action of said pairsof elastic miembers effecting an elevation and flattening of theabdomen.

2. In an undergarment of the character described, a front body portionhaving a longitudinally extending opening, an abdominal supportercomprising two resilient sections attached to said body portion onopposite sides of said opening, elastic members attached to saidsections and to said body portions on opposite sides of said opening,corresponding members of said elastic members when 'under tensionarranged to apply an upwardly directed circumferential pull to theabdomen and the other corresponding members of said elastic members whenunder tension being arranged to apply a downwardly directedcircumferential pull to the abdomen, slide fastening f means for closingsaid opening andbringing said resilient sections and said elasticmembers under tension, an elevation and atening of the abdomen therebybeing progressively effected as said slide fastening means is moved toclose said opening.

3. In an undergarment of the character described, a front body portionhaving an opening extending longitudinally thereof, slide fasteningkmeans for closing said opening, an abdominal :supporter comprising tworesilient sections atthe resilient sections and when under tensionarranged to elevate and flatten the abdomen, said slide fastening meanswhen moved to close said `opening serving to bring said elastic membersand said resilient sections under tension whereby a progressiveelevationand flattening of the abdomen is effected.

, DAVID BLAIR.

